Iran optimistic about final nuclear deal: president

TEHRAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Tehran is optimistic that its talks with six other world powers will yield a comprehensive deal on the country's controversial nuclear program, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday.

"Dialogue is the only way ahead of us, and we are hopeful about the success of the talks," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Iran is ready for cooperation within the framework of international regulations, Rouhani said, adding that Iran expects to enjoy its inalienable right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Also, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's Majlis (Parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said earlier that the agreement on the extension of Iranian nuclear talks last week showed a willingness on both sides for a comprehensive deal.

Iran's position will not change regarding its nuclear rights enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, he said, hoping that the United States would give up its excessive demands in the upcoming talks.

U.S. officials should know that if Iran and the world powers do not reach a final nuclear agreement, Tehran will revive its 20- percent uranium enrichment program, activate Arak heavy water reactor and install a new generation of centrifuges, Boroujerdi said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad-Zarif said Tuesday that the P5+1 group, which includes the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany, should seize the chance to reach a final agreement with Iran over its nuclear program, Press TV reported.

In the most recent talks, Iran and the P5+1 group had disagreements on Iran's uranium enrichment capacity, the Arak heavy water reactor and sanctions against Tehran, but both sides know that a final agreement with Iran is the only solution to the nuclear issue, Zarif said.

Iranian nuclear talks would be extended for another four months till November 24, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Zarif said Saturday in a joint statement, which came only one day ahead of the deadline for a final and comprehensive agreement on Iran's nuclear program.

The interim deal, which took effect on January 20, was designed to buy time for negotiations. Under the deal, Iran would suspend some sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for a limited sanction relief.

On Monday, a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA) said that Iran has complied with its obligations under the interim Geneva nuclear deal.

The UN watchdog said that Iran has diluted part of its 20- percent enriched uranium stockpile to five-percent purity, while the rest is being converted into uranium oxide as agreed under a so-called Joint Plan of Action reached in Geneva last November. The report added that Iran has also stopped enriching uranium beyond the five-percent level.

After Saturday's nuclear talks in Vienna, senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said that the world powers agreed to unfreeze 2.8 billion U.S. dollars of Iran's frozen assets over the next four months.

"Over the next four months, 2.8 billion dollars will be deposited into Iran's account in six installments," Araqchi said. "Four 500-million-dollar and two 400-million-dollar tranches will be paid to Iran at three-week intervals beginning on Aug. 1."

In exchange, Iran will convert its 20-percent-enriched uranium, which has already been oxidized under the Geneva interim deal, to fuel for Tehran nuclear reactor, Araqchi added.

Under the Geneva deal, Iran was granted access to 4.2 billion dollars in past oil revenues from India and other countries. An estimated 100 billion dollars in payments for Iranian oil purchase have been blocked due to U.S. sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.